The Moonflower's Tale
by NaelaNightshade
Summary: This is a story about a single girl who lived in a very odd world. Or worlds, as it so happened to be. A world created and filled with light. A world of conquest and power. And a world of honor and sacrifice. She gave her heart and soul to the protection of each of these worlds. With her light came a terrible price - Darkness (Code Geass and FF included. This is my baby)
1. Prologue

I remember when I was young, as others would praise me for my skills and looks, without evening knowing me truly. They only saw what they wanted to see, but never did they see the scars in my heart. Well, most people did, I was fortunate to find people who saw past the skills that gave me a large advantage at a young age. People who saw past the looks that got me into trouble plenty of times, some were trivial though.

At that age, I would always wonder why I was granted such a life. I would have exchanged everything, my skills, my looks, in order to have a simpler, peaceful life, with my parents and siblings. But now, at the age I am now, I would have to disagree with my younger self. I would tell her, "There will be more pain, but that pain will go away and a great love will take its place". Listen, and I shall tell you the story that brought me that great love.


	2. Chunin Exams: The First Test

-In the past, long ago-

The Third Hokage asked me to participate in the Chunin Exams, for something I didn't want to do. But…A bet is a bet.

Lord Hokage had always been like a grandfather to me, someone who I could put my trust in. I knew he would never betray my trust for it is not in his nature to. As the leader of the large village hidden in the leaves, he was known to be a caring and sincere man. A man who will do anything, and everything, in his power to protect what's important to him.

I used my chakra to create two clones of myself with the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Of course I had to adjust it to different proportions, to make it seem as if I was with my "team". Wearing a black, long, leather, hooded coat gave my clones and I a sense of mystery and enmity. I refused to ask help from others who wore the same hood as I did.

 _I can do this on my own and I will, without a doubt, win._

As the three of me entered room 301, where all the other participants were kept I saw the weirdest thing. A boy in orange pointed at the large crowd of genins, many of whom had scowls over their faces, declaring that he will defeat them all. The sarcastic girl in me took over my thoughts.

 _What kind of moronic shinobi would take the likes of them in a fight?_

 _Wait, I would._

 _But, what kind of ninja wears orange?_

 _Well, it isn't the worst color in the world._

Keeping my hood up to hide my features, I examined this boy coat of mine swished softly, the silver beaded pull strings softly _ching_ with each step I took. Stepping to the side slowly, blending in with the darkness of the wall I saw a blossom haired girl doing a choke hold on the orange boy. The two clones blended in the crowd, scattered.

"Naruto, you jackass!" she exclaimed.

I stifled my laughter, as the pink haired girl who yelled put the shorter genin in a armlock. _I believe she's trying to kill him._

A boy wearing a hood with a small dog on top of his head covered his mouth, "Uh, what did you say? I didn't catch that." He was being sarcastic, wanting the other genins to slaughter him like a pig. I encouraged his sarcasm, slightly, but I wished he'd direct that particular sarcastic remark to someone else. More specifically, him.

Followed by that a boy with his hair pulled back and the leaf headband on his arm asked, "Do you want to get us killed?" I had to hold my laughter even more.

I heard quick movements in the wind, my clones and I focused to tell who it was.

 _Ah, it is the sound ninja, but what exactly are they doing?_

There were only so little sound ninja to this year's Chunin Exams, so for the ninja of sound to cause trouble would reflect terribly upon its village. Those three were the only representatives of their village.

Their movements were fast and the one who looked as if he's always slouching attacked the one with silver hair and glasses. Someone who seemed to be older than the genin who were bickering just now.

The boy in glasses dodged by moving backwards to the vertical attack. I give a slight 'humph' noise. And as I suspected, the sound catches up with him, breaking his glasses slightly. What really got my attention was the fact that he grinned. What does that man know? And with that my curiosity grew. That sound attack made the poor boy vomit. I'd hate to be the person who had to clean that up.

Just then a group of proctors and Ibiki Morino entered the room- scolding the sound ninja. Ibiki was the head of Konoha's torture and interrogation force. It's dirty work, but someone has to do it. But it also seemed that the scarred shinobi was going to be a proctor for the year's Chunin Exams which occur every two years. I had to prepare myself for the strict and practically sadistic man before me.

* * *

The proctors gave us a number in which we were to be seated at that particular number for a written test. Wonderful. I sat at my seat, wanting to get this all over with.

The clones were scattered around the room, one was in the far back, the other on the other side of the room. Apparently I was able to be the luckiest unluckiest girl in this world. I was to sit next to the one person who I didn't want to be by. Next to me was the famous Sasuke Uchiha of the Uchiha clan. The famous clan that was annihilated in the middle of the night by a single man. It was well known as to what happened that night years ago, and it was known that the sole survivor was a prodigy, a genius in his own ranks. And apparently very good looking.

Ibiki introduced himself and gave the rules of this written test. You need to answer at least one question for each team member, in order not to be disqualified. It was the perfect setup for me to win.

The rules were simple-

1\. No questions (As odd as that may be)

2\. No cheating and if they catch you cheating three times you will be asked to leave.

But that was the thing, he _wanted_ us to cheat. Not only did he want us to cheat but we _needed_ to cheat. Information is a very precious thing and one must know how to obtain said information. That was what this "written exam" was truly about - a test of one's information gathering skills.

The first exam began. I read the question that asked to decode a message. I knew the answer right away for I was a chunin myself. And it wasn't if I was the only one, there were two others in the large crowd of people.

If I had wanted I could've done absolutely nothing. I mean I was there for an 'important' reason. They knew I'm the right hand man of the Third Hokage. When he was out, I took over for him. I thought like him, I acted like him. I did everything that he would. So it's just like he's still there- but he isn't.

But sadly, per Ibiki's instruction for me to continue into the exams, I had to act as another genin. That meant that I had to fill the paper with answers, the correct answers, that would help the others answer their own papers. All but the blank tenth question. The question that would be asked at the last ten minutes of the first exam.

Writing the answers down on the paper I started thinking; _why am I, a chunin, pretending to be a genin in the exams and not being a proctor like the others?_ It would have been extremely easier if I had done this the proctor way. I was told to do this the genin way by Lord Hokage, but he had saved my life; he had given me something to live for. I couldn't be disobedient, for I had no place to talk of such things. But I couldn't help myself to think as to why that was. Perhaps to be ordinary? To be in the exact place as my peers? I didn't understand.

The nine questions were done and over with, my pencil was set down vertically across of me. To my right was the Uchiha boy, copying the movements of someone several rows ahead of us with the use of the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai, the Sharingan. With a bloodline trait such as that he was able to copy the movements of others. It was not the only thing the Sharingan allowed its user to do, it had many other wonders as well.

Once he was finished, he set his pencil down across of him in a vertical alignment, exactly as I had. I glanced over to his pencil and then to mine, he did the same. My eyes drifted away from the pencils and slowly up to him. Sasuke did the same, looking up to try to look into my own eyes. But from the hood, my eyes were hidden in the shadow. His eyes slowly narrowed at me, full of question. I was the first to look away, my attention back to the empty block for the tenth question. I could still feel his eyes on me for a short while before he, too, looked away and to the clock up on the wall.

Twenty minutes had passed and finally the time for the last question had come.

"If you answer correctly, you pass. However…" The long pause kept everyone on the edge of their seat, even me. "If you answer incorrectly, you can never enter the chunin exams again."

The room was in utter silence, eyes widening and jaws dropping. Never becoming a chunin can mean never getting ahead and able to do more exciting missions. I must admit they are fun. Being a chunin meant that you have reached a certain level of maturity and ability. It meant that you had the ability to lead missions and guide other ninja down a path of knowledge. But the others, they have only one chance to pass if they continue the exams. They had two choices- stay and risk to never be a chunin again, or leave and have the ability to re-enter the exams another year. It was a true battle of the mind.

He continued, "Raise your hand and you'll be asked to leave with your teammates."

After a few minutes that seemed like forever had passed, one person raised his hand. Then more added on and more and more. I watched the orange ninja as he trembled. Poor thing, all he ever wanted to be was a Hokage. If he fails this question, then he can never even be a chunin, or even a jonin- the level above chunin. Looking over to Sasuke I saw that he, too, was watching Naruto. Perhaps he was worried about him more than I was.

Naruto raised his hand slowly, everyone's attention on him. It stood high in the air for what seemed to be a long time. Then suddenly, he slammed his hand down on the wooden table, proclaiming, "Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! You can act tough all you want! You guys aren't gonna scare me off, no way!I don't care if I stay as a genin for the rest of my life! I'll still be Hokage someday!" His conviction had greatly inspired all of the rest of the genin's inside the room.

The orange ninja gave out a "Hmph" sound, and I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. The boy had hope in him, he had a large amount of guts as well. I couldn't help but admire him.

"This decision is one that could change your life. If for any reason you wish to quit, now is your last chance." The interrogator warned.

"No way, I never go back on my word. That's the way of the ninja," Naruto retorted.

From that outburst alone, no others raised their hand to leave the room. They all decided to stay.

"Well then, I admire your determination to stay. Now for the remaining of you, there is one thing left to do. And that is for me to tell you….."

Ibiki Morino grinned, "That you've all passed the first exam!" Everyone was dumbstruck. I could have sworn that I heard a pencil drop.

The blossom haired girl stood up, a little angry, "Huh? What do you mean we passed? Where's the tenth question?"

He laughed, "Actually there really wasn't a tenth question, not a written one at least. Your decision to stay was the answer to the question." More confused looks appeared on their faces.

A girl from the Hidden Sand exclaimed in anger, "So you're saying that the other nine questions were a waste of time, is that it?!"

He answered, "No, not at all. It's the opposite, really. The first nine questions had a purpose. To test your ability to surreptitiously gather strategic intelligence under the most adverse circumstances." A long pause. "Allow me to explain- the objective was to test your ability to gather information not only as an individual, but also as a team. And how well you function as a part of that team. That's why the test was scored on a _team_ basis. So that you knew that whatever you did, or failed to do, would affect your teammates. I wanted to see how you'd handle the pressure."

"Mmmhmm. Yup. That's what I figured, so that's why I kept my cool," Naruto nodded as if he knew all along. Yeah right he did. In psychology, what Naruto responded with was called hindsight bias.

Ibiki continued, "The first nine questions were hard to answer. In fact, it was too hard to expect any genin to answer the question on their own. I believe most of you quickly came to that conclusion- That you had to cheat to ever have a chance in passing. The test actually encouraged you to cheat, practically demanding it. Of course you needed someone to cheat from. So I disguised two chunin that knew the answers to sit in with you."

The two plain looking chunin softly raised their hands. A pair of eyes glared at me with curiosity. I didn't have to look back to know the Uchiha boy was looking my way. I could practically feel it upon me. He knew something was up with me, but thankfully he didn't pry.

Naruto gasped and practically freaked out, but shaked it off and laughed, "Haha! I knew about that the entire time! Only a complete doofus wouldn't figure that out!" Hindsight Bias.

My jaw practically dropped as I realized that he truly didn't know anything. Out of an old habit, I looked over to the person on my right (Who happened to be Sasuke) and he met my gaze in the same fashion as I was to him. Then we looked back at the idiot, rows ahead of us.

"Those who were caught at it, failed. Better not to cheat than to cheat clumsily." He guided his hand to the hat-like headband he wore and removed it. "Information, it can be the most valuable weapon in battle. How well you gather information can determine whether a mission is a failure or a success."

Like the others, I was in shock. My heart dropped as I laid witness to the sight that summed up his past missions. A collection of burn marks, punctures and long slash marks covered the top of his head. I had heard the rumors from other chunin before, but never had I ever seen it for myself. I had seen the immoral, animalistic side of human nature first hand many times, but to truly see the damage of such torture… it's sad.

"There will be times you'll have to risk your life to obtain it," He stated then applied the hat-like headband back onto his head, covering the scars. "Though you will have to consider the source of said information. It is not always necessarily accurate. Always bear this in mind. But no information is worse. It could cause you to lose all of your comrades and even your entire village. That is why I had to put you in the position to gather accurate intelligence, to cheat in order to survive."

He then confirmed what I had said prior to the end of the exam. For the tenth question we had two choices- stay and risk never being a chunin, or leave and try again next year. The tenth question was the main point to it all, the other nine were like the stars to the moon.

But no one can chose to leave an important mission. One cannot chose to leave in the face of danger. There will be some seemingly suicidal missions, but you would have to continue on, doing all you can to reach the goal of said mission. Cheating it through courage and discipline.

Just when all the lecturing was over, a rock was thrown from the window. No, it wasn't a rock but a ball of cloth. Glass broke and fell on the hard floor as two kunai were thrown in opposite directions to hold the cloth up which in turn revealed a woman in the middle of it. She had light-brown eyes and blackish purplish hair in a short, spiky fanned- ponytail in the back. Wearing a tan overcoat over her full mesh body suit that goes to her thighs with a dark orange miniskirt. A small pendant that looks like a snake on a thick cord rests over her chest.

 _I've heard of this woman. I never really conversed with her before though. If I remember correctly her name is Anko._

"Heads up boys and girls! This isn't the time for celebrating. I'll be your next proctor! Anko Mitarashi~ You ready for the second test? Good! Let's go follow me!"

That was another thing I remembered about the woman, she was the eccentric type. Lifting her fist into the air, pumped up. But the room was anything but.

"You're early, again," Ibiki became annoyed.

"Erm", Anko's face grew slightly bright from either embarrassment or annoyance. I couldn't tell which.

Anko's eyes scanned the room, "Wow Ibiki you passed a lot of people. You're test was too easy, you must be getting soft."

"It could also be a stronger crop of candidates this year," he replied.

"Hmmm, they sure don't look it. Well when I'm done with them they'll be gone in half." The thought of how could such a thing be possible, filled my mind.

"Your squad leaders will let you know when the exam's taking place. Dismissed~" Anko's last words to us for the day rang through my ears.

* * *

After all of the genins left the room, I sat idly by, watching Ibiki pick up the papers that were left. I was waiting for him to retrieve the idiot ninja's test paper. I heard a laugh, "I just passed a candidate that didn't even answer a single question. Uzumaki Naruto. Heh, he's a funny one all right."

He paused for a moment, "Tell me, what does the Hokage wish to accomplish with you in the examinations?"

I fiddled with a pencil, swinging and flipping it around in my right hand, "Eh, you know him. Trying to make my life more difficult than I care to have it be."

"Hmph, seems like him."

"You're not innocent either."

"Oh?" He turned around to face me, "And why is that?"

"You purposefully sat me next to Uchiha Sasuke, didn't you?"

He only grinned and returned to what he was doing.

 _I fucking knew it_


	3. Chunin Exams: The Second Test

-Mysterious Girl-

We were all gathered at the Forty-Fourth Training Ground, also known as the Forest of Death. A metallic fence covered the perimeter of the forest that stood inside with 44 entrance gates and with a diameter of 10 km. The trees that could be seen were especially large. It truly spooked all of the candidates to the point where I sort of felt sorry for them. The wind picked up and I payed attention only to sound of the rustling leaves. Anko stood in the front of us all explaining all sort of crap I listened to on and off.

But just as the tension became high, a rectangular sized fake rock approached the group. As Naruto walked away from it casually, the rock followed him. He began to run from it, and it followed once more. But after some time, Naruto felt that enough was enough and stopped running and stood his ground, making the rock stop as well.

"Okay! That is the worst disguise I have ever seen! There is no such this as square rocks! It's completely obvious!"

"Haha! You have seen through my disguise, yet again! You're slick boss, just what I'd expect from my greatest rival!" A familiar voice claimed as the fake rock illuminated and there revealed three pre-schoolers.

Dammit, Konohamaru.

There stood the three misfits. Moegi, the "sassiest kunoichi in pre-school". Udon, "who loves algebra." And the grandson of the Third Hokage and self-proclaimed "number one ninja in the village", Konohamaru Sarutobi.

Apparently they were there to write an article for the Academy's newspaper about the Chunin Exams. They were fast to interview Naruto first, giving them crap for their article. But then the blossom-haired girl, Sakura Haruno (I finally learned her name at that time) stole the children from the idiot. She spoke about what chakra is and how much of an idiot Naruto was.

She also spoke about Sasuke, a lot. Her voice had much admiration and fangirling love. Praising him left and right. Saying how he held his own against Hatake Kakashi, my own sensei from years ago. Hearing about their adventures, I couldn't help but smile.

Her topic went from Sasuke to Kakashi-sensei. His stupid antics of arriving late, his love of that book of his. His ability to copy many jutsu. And of course…. his mask.

Udon went to Sasuke to ask for an interview. He accepted by saying that if they listened to only Naruto they'd have "more fairy tales than truth."

"Woah! They asked me for an interview! Not you!" Naruto growled

"They came to interview EVERYONE, loser. There are other ninja here, you know. Believe it" Sasuke retorted.

As they continued to bicker, Konohamaru noticed that I stood near by, watching and chuckling. He walked over to me and looked up to me with that childish smile of his, "What are you doing here?"

"I have a mission from your grandfather."

"I heard it was more of a bet."

"To him it's still the same."

"Can you say something about the examinations? I'd love to have your input."

This threw me off, never had Konohamaru asked me such a question before. Sure, I'd help him with his homework. But an article? This was new.

"Well... " I thought for a long moment, "The examinations are suppose to be tough, so that the genin can prove themselves to be worthy shinobi of the title chunin. The exams are also supposed to be a sign of peace between the five nations. Thus, why there are not only Leaf shinobi but Sand, Rock, Cloud and Mist."

The little guy wrote everything I said word for word.

"But," I added ,"to show peace in such a… tournament-like manner, I don't think it shows peace, but competition to see which village is better. But, I could be thinking too much about it."

Konohamaru nodded, "I'll let everyone know that the Bakeneko said that."

I smiled, the kid was the first to called me Bakeneko - demon cat. "Go finish that article of yours, kiddo." Ruffling his hair, he laughed before going back to the team that began to calm down and comprehended the situation.

Just as Konohamaru went back to the group, Sasuke noticed me once more, "It's her."

"Her?" Sakura questioned.

"The girl in black."

All of them, even the preschoolers glanced over towards myself as I leaned on a tree, relaxing and softly listening in their conversation.

"She sat next to me in the first exam," he added.

"How do you know it's a she?" Naruto asked.

"Dumbass, look at the body figure."

Naruto spent several minutes looking over my body, I was 100% uncomfortable with him doing so.

"She has boobs."

"Yeah, a perv like you would notice that." Sakura chimed in then added, "Isn't she hot in that outfit?"

To which Konohamaru added, "I asked her that once. She told me, 'I wear lighter clothes underneath it, so I won't overheat.'"

They turned to him, even his own classmates, "You know her?" They asked in unison.

"Yeah. She's a crazy good fighter! Good luck against her!" And with that the Academy students were off, leaving them close by with who they thought of as an enemy.

* * *

Once again, everyone was gathered together in front of one of the entrances to the training grounds. Again- my two clones stood on each side of me. All it is that we have to get a heaven and earth scroll and bring it to a tower in the middle of the field. Having one scroll you have to obtain the other scroll from opponents if they have the one you're looking for. But never are you allowed to look inside of either of the scrolls. Funnnnn

My train of thought perished as Anko threw a kunai towards Naruto slightly cutting his cheek. A mere scratch couldn't kill anyone- so it was tedious to even worry about it. But the grass ninja who was "returning her kunai" appeared behind Anko in a manner that turned all of my alarms on. I didn't like the look of that ninja.

With that Anko returned in front of the large crowd and showed everyone a consent form for the candidates to sign. Some shinobi may not survive the test and thus a consent is needed before they could ever begin the second test. Being held accountable for one's death is both terrible and annoying.

Many shinobi came to certain conclusions after Anko explained what they needed to do. I was truly impressed with the genins around me.

After some time, the other teams head to a table with three other proctors to give their consent forms and receive their scroll. Each then headed to a different gate from the others. And at exactly 2:30, they all enter the field.

My clones disappeared as I headed to the tower with no scroll of my own. I didn't need one. Why? I was sent on a mission from the Third Hokage and thus they told me to just head there. Even if the mission is just about a bet. But it was a great way to cheat; and I wasn't in the mood to play fair.

I just have to trust that Team 7 won't get through this. I must stay in the shadows where I belong, where I am most welcome. The light doesn't want nor need me. And I don't want it.

* * *

-Sasuke-

It had barely been a full hour since the second exam began did I, and my teammates, hear a loud scream. A scream of terror and death.

"I do _not_ like this place," Sakura complained. Her complaining nature always did bother me.

In order to calm her and himself, Naruto held his hands behind his head, "C'mon! It's nothing to be afraid of! This'll be a piece of cake!" Several moments went by before he added, "Excuse I gotta… Ya know." And made his way to a nearby bush, ready to pull something disgraceful out of his pants.

Thankfully Sakura hit him hard on the head, like he needed anymore brain damage, "Not in front of me you don't! Go far out or something!" I had to admit- Naruto did have a knack of breaking tension in any sort of situation.

As he went to the bathroom for what seemed to be forever, I began to think about that mysterious woman in black. Who was she? She knew the answers too quickly and too easily at the first exam. As if she was a chunin herself. But Ibiki Morino said that he disguised only two chunins in the written exam. And there was no evidence to show that she was cheating. She was just another person to cheat off from. A hidden chunin.

Again, why is she here in this exam if she is a chunin? What reason would there be for her to be here? And that coat… it's oddly mysterious. Clothing I've never seen before in my life.

"Mmm yup! Man, that was a lot! I wrote my whole name!" The idiot's commentary on his piss broke my train of thought.

"That's gross. You're really disgusting sometimes you know that?" Sakura's disgust was tuned out in my head as something was really suspicious about this Naruto.

So I hit him, right in the fucking face with my fucking hand. I hit him so hard he flew into tree. This only seemed to confuse Sakura, not that I blame her, but I can blame her for being naive.

"That was a little overboard, Sasuke," Sakura commented.

Naruto chimed in as he rubbed the cheek I hit, "Yeah, what the heck was that for?"

I paid their comments no attention as I tried to attack Naruto once more. He dodged from my kick and tried to move away, but once more I attacked with a kick. He jumped up to one of the tree branches and I followed, only to have him fall to the ground.

Recovering he said, "Better watch out Sakura, I think he's gone crazy!"

Narrowing my eyes I replied, "Yeah, you wish. I just struck before you could!" A kunai was raised and a fight raged on. The clank of the kunai and our grunts were the only things I could hear. It was fairly short, before Sakura finally asked what I was doing.

"Take a good look, Sakura." My attention went to Naruto, "What did you do with Naruto?!"

"Huh?! I am Naruto!"

"Then where is the cut on your cheek?!" The impostor was surprised. "I bet you didn't know he got that cut before this test! You're shuriken holster is on your left leg, not your right! Since the real Naruto is right-handed." Sometimes it was a good thing to know your teammates/rivals real well.

The impostor undid his transformation jutsu, revealing himself to be a ninja from the hidden mist. "All right, you got me. So what? That's not gonna stop me from taking your scroll. So fork it! Or else."

Assimilating the situation, I heard a kunai being pulled out, most likely Sakura doing so. We all stood there for several moments before the river ninja came at us. To put distance between us, I jumped into the air and formed a jutsu with the signs of the rat, tiger, dog, ox, hare and tiger (in that order).

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Several balls of fire came from my own dragon-like body. The river ninja dodged each of my own attacks and tried to evade by jumping from one tree branch to the next. Down below, I spotted something squirming and yelling for help. Fucking Idiot! Throwing my kunai to him so he could free himself, I had to quickly dodge each of the kunai the river ninja threw at me from afar.

On one of the kunai was a paper bomb, ready to explode. Thankfully, I got away before any true damage could have applied to me. But the river ninja had the upper hand on me, his kunai pointed at me, and me without a kunai at all. Or did I?

A kunai came swooping past myself and the river ninja, Naruto had returned to the scene, free from bondage. The kunai made the river shinobi jump away, giving me the perfect opportunity to strike. Before the swooping kunai could touch the ground, I focused my chakra into my foot to create a magnetic force to keep the kunai under my foot in place. With my Sharingan activated, I flung the kunai under my foot at the enemy to distract him. And struck another kunai into the chest of the one who came at my teammates and I.

"Ugh, I came alone to avoid suspicion. Bad mistake," and with that he was gone. Most likely going to reunite with his squad.

"Look," I started, "We need a password, since we can't just believe in appearances. Something that can tell each other it's us and not some imposter. I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention. The question will be, 'When does a ninja strike?' and the answer will be, 'A ninja waits until the enemy sleeps. When their guard is down. When their weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment when the ninja strikes.'"

Sakura nodded, "ok got it." Of course she'd get it right away. Naruto on the other hand… "Uh.. I didn't get that at all. Got something shorter?"

"No," I answered, "That's the password."

"What're you talking about? I got it right away!"

Inside, I was grinning, everything was put into place.

Just then a large gust of wind came at us, pushing us back and forcing us to separate from each other. I hid underneath the bushes to hide from the ones who sent that gust of wind. Just after we had some river ninja fight us, now we had to deal with someone else? It was another headache ready to occur.

A twig snapped. Alerted I stood and saw Sakura in front of me, her hands in front of her chest, just as she always did when nervous. "Quick! When does a ninja strike?" She answered flawlessly, "A ninja waits until the enemy sleeps. When their guard is down. When their weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment when the ninja strikes." Good, I lowered my guard a little bit.

"Hey, are you guys okay?!" Naruto came into sight.

"Don't come any closer!," Sakura exclaimed. "What's the password!" Naruto too answered flawlessly. Something he would have never done. As I grin, once more, I threw a kunai at him, another imposter Naruto.

Sakura becomes alarmed,"Sasuke-kun! What are you doing? He answered correctly, word for word!" I'm irritated but tried not to show it. I answered, "Exactly and that's the problem. Naruto would have never been able to remember all of it. Never would the Naruto I know in a million years would remember something like that. It would be easier and better to teach it to a hamster instead." Sakura finally comes to terms as how I'm right.

"Show yourself," I commanded. I was tired playing the stupid game of 'Is this Naruto?' with the other candidates.

The imposter smiled widely, "Aren't we the clever one?" The transformation was reversed and our new enemy was revealed. A grass ninja with long hair and a snake-like tongue that freaked me out.

I did not like the look of this encounter.

* * *

-Several hours later-

I couldn't see anything but darkness, certain questions entered my mind - Where am I? What happened? Where is everyone? With no answers, I was left alone with my own thoughts.

My shoulder ached and I was terribly exhausted after facing such a formidable foe - that grass ninja. Who was he? What kind of person such as he in the Chunin Exams? He was too dangerous to be a regular genin. He made me feel like I was dying. His name… Orochimaru, was it? What did he want from me? Once again, more questions were left unanswered in this void of darkness.

Just then, a small figure appeared in front of me. It was myself… or at least what I was as a kid long ago… Images of my past- my parent's death, my clan's death, my closest friend being taken away - all in which brought darkness into my life. My heart was speaking its truth to myself.

Heh, You don't know darkness. A familiar voice rang through my mind. I couldn't find the owner of that voice, but I knew that that voice's words angered me greatly.

That asshole!

In the midst of my anger, a warm orb of light came my way, softly giggling and caressing what seemed to be my skin, but I felt it. That warm light brought a sight before my eyes that decimated the darkness I stood in.

The light brought me to a forest clearing with beautiful moonflower vines holding onto the oak trees spread around. In the middle of the clearing was a girl. A girl with jet black hair that went past her waist and bangs that covered my view of her face. The plain ivory dress she wore went down to her knees. I observed her further, as she casually tended the flowers around her. I moved one step towards her and the image vanished. Come back, I desperately thought. Come back.

Suddenly, the image of the forest vanished as I woke up. It was an odd feeling that I couldn't help but feel sad. But that thought had as well vanished as I notice that power was coursing through my veins. Sakura was hurt and there was Shikamaru, Choji and Ino with three other ninja, sound ninja it seemed to be from their headbands.

Wait… that guy with the bandages covering all of his face but his left eye… He's the guy who attacked Kabuto! What's going on? Wait, no, it doesn't matter. I need to obliterate the one who hurt Sakura. I won't be weak anymore. Dark thoughts clouded my mind and judgement. When I stood up I asked "Sakura… Who's the one that hurt you?"

No one spoke, all fearful eyes were upon me, and once I glanced at my own skin - I could understand why. Black marks covered one side of my body - like black flames.

It was then I understood my purpose - I was an avenger. To follow that path I had to have power at any price. Even if it meant being consumed by an evil force.

"I ask again. Sakura, who did this to you?"

The guy with spiky, dark hair and dark eyes smirked and said, "That would be me". My eyes quickly set on him. He wore a beige shirt with two black stripes and three prints of the kanji for death (死, shi) down the front. He also wore a snake patterned scarf around his neck. The hell is it with freaking snakes? I'm starting to get irritated. Fuck snakes and Fuck this guy.

The power that only covered one side, filled the other as well, completing the circle that was left unfinished. Orochimaru gave me this power, and this power I was going to use. Once the Death kid used his sound-like attack, I flash stepped behind the guy and hit him once to knock him away. It took me no time to perform the Phoenix Flower Jutsu, but the guy, Zaku, used the same attack he used before to dissipate the flames to reveal the shuriken I had hidden within the flames.

Zooming past him, I took hold of both of his arms with my right foot right on his back. It felt good with such power I held. It felt so damn good not to be so helpless.

Grinning, I pushed my foot down and pulled his arms back gently, simultaneously, "You seem pretty proud of these arms of yours. You must be… very attached to them."

The look on his face was priceless, it was just fucking wonderful to behold, "No, please!" He begged

I didn't care what was to become of this guy. I was going to take those damn arms! With my right foot on his back I start pulling on his arms, wanting them to break. Closer… Closer… almost broken…CRACK! I had dislocated both of his shoulders.

As Zaku groaned in pain, I looked over to the last guy left, the one named Dosu, as he was the last one left.

But I was stopped by a warm body, like the warm light from before, pressing up on my back.

"Stop, Sasuke. Please." Sakura's voice had reached me. The power I had felt before began to retreat back into my neck the same place that guy bit me. Collapsing onto the floor, I gasped for air- trying to gather myself.

"You're strong," Dosu acknowledged, holding out a scroll in front of him, "Too strong. We can't hope to defeat you where you are now." He set the scroll onto the ground, "We strike a deal. This scroll and you letting us go."

We were in no position to decline, our Heaven scroll was burned during our battle with Orochimaru. So I did as he asked and left him be. But Sakura had questions to ask.

"Wait! Who is Orochimaru!? Why did he target Sasuke?! And why Sasuke?!"

"I don't know. We were told to target Sasuke and we did." Sakura was not happy with the answer that she was given.

I stared at my hands, fear seeped into me. What had I become?

* * *

After Ino fixed Sakura's hair, which she cut just to separate herself from that female sound ninja with the long hair that was tied with a purple ribbon. I think they said her name was… Kin? I didn't know, nor did I give a shit.

"Listen to me Sakura," I began to tell her with my hand over the mark on my neck, "Don't tell anyone about this especially Naruto." She reluctantly nodded. Good now that's out of the way to worry about. Now we have to worry about getting the other scroll, the same kind we first started out with.

At that point, I believed that there were many teams who passed. I had to get through it. We had to get through it.

Just as I had to years ago….. Even four years later did my heart hurt at just the thought of it. Even once my family perish did I have one person who helped me through it, to gave me hope. Naruto and I hadn't really talked about that event years ago. No action ever took place. No one talked about her. Not even the most gossipy women. It was like she never mattered to the village anyway. Why? Why hate her? Why not even notice her? She was kind and sweet and no one even knew she was gone.

No. She IS kind and sweet. No past tense. She's fine and well as well as alive. I haven't given up on her. I haven't. I remember her last words to me or to be more accurate… us, "I'll come back to you guys, I promise!" I will hold her to that promise. I will continue to have faith.


	4. Chunin Exams: The Preliminaries

-Mysterious Girl-

Waiting and waiting. I always hated to wait. Always wondering the unknown of what is to come.

I sat with the clones I conjured once more, for appearances, inside the tower, waiting for this particular exam to conclude.

"Well, well, well, what do I see? I see a girl who has little to no time." I heard a familiar voice. I turn my head to the right; a tall man with thick, shoulder length flaming red hair that wore the same coat as I did, accompanied by a smaller man, but not much, with a mullet-like dirty blonde hair with several bangs over his cyan eyes. _What are they doing here?_ I stared at them evil-like.

"W-woah! She has her scary face! I told you this was a bad idea, Axel." The cyan-eyed boy whimpered like a puppy.

"Calm down, Demyx," Axel narrowed his eyes at the frightened one, "She's not gonna attack us. The truce. Got it memorized?"

"Oh- Right..." He reminded himself.

The Truce brought peace between me and the organization they were a part of. The same organization I once infiltrated for a friend. The same organization's coat that I wore. As long as I gave them the darkness they needed, they promised to not target this village or myself until the time came.

I glanced at the clock the stood, "Welp, you guys should get on going. It's almost-"

"No."

Axel stared me down and I to him. After several minutes this way I reluctantly nodded. My clones disappearing as I did so.

I had a feeling I was going to regret this.

All of the teams had now gathered. Each in a single, three person line. The teams that had passed are as follows:

1\. Team 7 or Team Kakashi(Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno)

2\. Team 10 or Team Asuma (Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi)

3\. Team Guy (Tenten, Rock Lee and Neji Hyuga)

4\. Team 8 or Team Kurenai (Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka and his ninja dog Akamaru and Hinata Hyuga)

5\. Team... Kabuto? (Kabuto Yakushi, Yoroi Akado and Misumi Tsurugi)

6\. Team Dosu (Dosu Kinuta, Zaku Abumi and Kin Tsuchi)

7\. Sand Siblings ... Apparently. (Gaara, Temari, Kankuro)

The old man stood in front center of all of them, proctors to the left and right in an arc and the sensei's in a straight line behind him. I, along with Axel and Demyx, stood close to the Hokage, me on his right and the other two to his left.

"This is custom in which is preserved by fighting and dying. In the world of the shinobi, that is friendship."

It took me every ounce of will I had to not snort at this. We had different thoughts concerning friendship. However I couldn't say much about it for I had only three true friends at this time. But dying by each other's hand... That was not friendship. Not to me.

"The third exam is a fight for life with the pride of your village and yourself."

All of them seemed eager to continue to hear the rules of the next examination. However...

"Lord Hokage," a proctor kneeled in respect to the Hokage, "Please allow me, Gekko, Hayate, to speak before you."

The old man gave him permission and Hayate stood before the candidates.

"We have to give a preliminary exam before moving onto the next one."

His audience was in shock, one of the candidates even shouted, "Preliminary! What do you mean by that!?" As if he didn't know what a preliminary was.

Sakura curiously asked, "Why can't we just move on to the next exam? What's the point of the preliminary?" Both very good questions if you didn't know what would await you in the third exam.

Hayate gave an 'uh' sound before answering, "We believe that the first two exams were a bit too easy and didn't expect so many of you to pass. Any preliminary can be held within any exam to reduce the amount of candidates remaining."

"But why?"

That was when I spoke up without even thinking,"To speed things up. Many people, important people, are going to watch the third exam. It's not a good idea to waste their time with 21 different candidates versus the 9 we expected. The best of this year."

"That's another thing." Naruto pointed at me and my cohorts, "Why are the hooded guy still here? Didn't they fail?"

Axel laughed. Demyx fidgeted. I just stood there. Axel started speaking from that hell mouth of his, "Look kid, we're not exactly part of this place. And this one," He pointed at me, "Was the only one doing the work."

The sand girl, Temari, stepped up, "Then you're not qualified to be in the exams anymore. Or even in the first place. Your group leader should know not to be here. Why did you make him do all the work anyway?" More and more questions about me rose within the group.

"Her," Naruto added with Sasuke giving him a 'are-you-serious?' kind of look. As if Naruto was the one who figured out my gender. Ha.

Hayate looked over his shoulder, "Lord Hokage?"

The old man in the Hokage robes and hat explained, "This is Lyaxas. She's been working for me for the past three to four years. She and I have had a bet and she had to take part in the exam in order for it to commence. Plus she is already a chunin and is around your age."

After everyone calmed down about the hooded girl (me duh), Hayate continued onward, "If there are any of you who aren't in top physical condi-" he began coughing. Irony. When the coughing ceased he apologized, "If you don't feel up to it, you have the choice to leave. The preliminaries will begin immediately."

More roaring, "Come on! You mean right now?!" One exclaimed. Another whined about 'barely surviving' the second. Actually, that entire group complained. The lazy group.

"The winners will be determined in an one-on-one sudden death match," Hayate added.

Something felt wrong. _He_ was telling me so. I searched with my eyes to see Team 7 in slight distress. In the middle of the line Sasuke Uchiha held his left shoulder. Sakura Haruno behind him was whispering to him, about what I wasn't sure. But something was going on. Because they were talking about it over here.

"It's just as I feared," Lord Hokage said.

"What do we do with him," Ibiki asked.

Anko answered in the most bitchiest way possible, "We take him to the Anbu and let them deal with him. Keep him locked up. We have to keep that seal under control or-"

"Or what?" Kakashi Hatake, Team 7's leader, cut her off, "You really think he's going to quietly go along with this huh?" He spoke in a soft, friendly, mocking tone. I loved it. "Huh? You forget, he's of the Uchiha clan." Hard-headed, stubborn guys.

She exploded, "I don't care what he is! If he stays, he's a danger to everyone here! If he gets stronger so does the curse mark! It's feeding off of his chakra! It's a forbidden jutsu that devours the one who bears it. It's amazing how he's still standing. By now, he should be dead."

"So should you," I added. She didn't very appreciated it.

A hand was raised. Kabuto Yakushi's to be exact.

After being instructed to move back, Naruto yelling in confusion, "Hey! What's going on?! Why are you stopping like this?"

It appeared to be that Kabuto, from the beginning of the exam. No - before the first exam, he couldn't hear at all in one ear. In a fight with people like those, yeah - I can see why he would want to end it here.

"I recall seeing him before. This isn't the first time he's dropped out before. What game is he playing?"

Before Anko could pull up his file from her clipboard I answered the old man, "Kabuto Yakushi. He's failed the exams six times in a row. This is his seventh fail."

"Background?"

"According to the files, he wasn't the greatest shinobi in the academy. Failed graduation exams twice, not that many missions - 16 missions total. few C but mainly D rank missions. However..."

He urged me to continue on, "he was the only living survivor of the Kikyo Pass incident." An incident that occurred at the end of the Third Great Ninja War between the Leaf and some unknown group.

The four of us watched him walk away, curiously and closely.

"Now, is there anyone else?" Hayate asked for the last time.

No one raised their hand. But the Hokage was still worried about Orochimaru yet allowed Sasuke to continue with the preliminaries. The only condition he had was if his curse mark would take hold of him, we would have to step in and stop it. Anko was anything but pleased.

"Alright then, we will now begin the Preliminary Round. This round will consist of one-on-one individual combat with full battle intensity. This is not an exercise. There are 20 of you remaining, meaning there will be only 10 matches. The winning candidates will advance to the third exam. There are no rules: the match will end once someone dies, admits defeat or cannot physically continue. Of course, it will be better if you'd concede before a fatal outcome. Furthermore, as proctor, I will give certain leeway in judging the matches," _Cough_. " We will now see what fate has chosen for you."

A panel was then opened to reveal a screen, a pair of names were to appear on this monitor randomly. Each match was to be created at random and before each match, a new set of names were to appear.

The first two opponents were to be decided. The names flied around from one name to another with 30 milliseconds apart. The flying transformed into a landing.

 _Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado_

A summary as to what had happened during the Prelims.

1\. Sasuke vs. Yoroi. At first Sasuke had some trouble with the curse mark that caused him pain. Even so, it turned out that Yoroi could suck out chakra from others, ending with Sasuke having to use his new curse mark. But from his own sheer will, he was able to retract it and control it for a period of time. The curse mark was still something that could cause the young genin trouble. So Kakashi took Sasuke away to have his curse mark sealed. It was for the best. _Victor: Sasuke Uchiha._

2\. Shino vs. Zaku. Zaku only had one usable arm. At the time, I had no idea what happened to him. But I could feel a large amount of darkness from it. Anyway, Shino as well as the Aburame clan use parasites against his enemies. And they live inside them. Creepy, but useful. He commanded them against Zaku, leaving him defenseless. Zaku then revealed that he could use both arms with his technique. This technique with the air tubes inside the palms of his hands allowed him to control air pressure and creating supersonic blasts of air. Shino blocked the tubes in Zaku's arms making them explode. _Victor: Shino Aburame_

3\. Misumi vs. Kankuro. This one was quite fast actually. Tsurugi-san had used his Soft Physique Modification, which basically means he can move his arms and legs like rubber, to choke Kankuro. While Misumi was choking him he came to the realization that he was fighting a puppet. The real Kankuro was disguised, controlling the puppet with the Puppet Technique. The Puppet Technique is when a shinobi uses his or her chakra to create strings to control a puppet. Kankuro then used his puppet, Crow, to crush Misumi that ended up defeated. _Victor: Shino_

4\. Sakura vs. Ino. Rival friends, who sadly fight over one guy. These girls angered me so much I want to beat them to a bloody pulp. It took a while for the match to end, since they were equal in strength. But there was a turning point when Ino used Mind Transfer Jutsu on Sakura. Mind Transfer Jutsu is particularly passed down the Yamanaka clan, which allows the user to control/possess the victim. If though the user is hurt while inside the victim's body, then he or she will die as well. Ino used her jutsu well, trying to make Sakura forfeit the match. But Sakura's will is stronger than Ino thought. With her own will Sakura took Ino forcefully out of her body. From their exhausted chakra, they had one last attack. Both punching each other and ending up in a draw. _No Victor_

5\. Tenten vs. Temari. This one was seriously fast. That Temari girl had skills. Oops spoiler alert. Anyway Tenten is more of a weapons user, so she used all her chakra on her Weapons Technique but the female of the Sand Siblings countered all of them with her Wind Release. Temari won without a single scratch on her. _Victor: Temari_

6\. Shikamaru vs. Kin. Ohh this particular match struck me curious about the Nara boy. Shikamaru used his Shadow Paralysis Jutsu but the Kin girl dodged it perfectly throwing senbon. Senbon are metal needles with sharp points on both ends. Usually they serve as a medical purpose, but they can be used in combat as well. Such as throwing them on a vital spot in the human body. Anyway, these senbon had bells on it, some didn't have bells. She tried to distract Shikamaru but he managed to attach his shadow to hers by using the strings she was holding. Kin was matching Shikamaru's movements, so both threw a shuriken at each other, when they ducked Kin banged her head against the wall, knocking herself out. Well kudos to Nara. _Victor: Shikamaru Nara_

7\. Naruto vs. Kiba. Naruto at first, sucked. Especially after Kiba's dog, Akamaru joined in the fight. Naruto came back by transforming into Akamaru then Kiba so when Kiba attacked Naru the second transformation as Kiba gave way to the first, as Akamaru, making Kiba attack his own dog. So then Kiba tried to keep Naruto from counterattacking but Naruto well... he broke wind in Kiba's face. Which being a dog like person himself is so sensitive to smell, it was waaay worse for him. Naruto then summoned shadow clones and used his new technique Naruto Uzumaki Combo. Which is a rip off of Sasuke's move called Lion's Barrage, which I found out was ripped off of Rock Lee. People stealing others' ideas. _Victor: Naruto Uzumaki_

8\. Hinata vs. Neji. A battle between two family members but on different branches. You see, Hinata is part of the Hyuga's main branch, while Neji is from the Hyuga's lower branch, the ones who protect the main branch. Before fists were exchanged there was a battle of the mind. Neji used Hinata's fears on saying she had no way of winning. Naruto disagreed, strongly. Since Hinata was inspired by Naruto's courage she wanted to prove that she could be brave too. They fought using the Gentle Fist Technique, as well as the Byakugan, which is one of the three/four visual kekkei genkai like the Shimizu and Uchiha's Sharingan. Neji interrupted Hinata's flow of chakra. This is because the Byakugan can see the chakra flow inside a person's body and by hitting those pressure points, was he able to break said chakra flow. Hinata was now unable to even use Gentle Fist but she still tried to fight on. Something I admired about the girl, she kind of reminded me of myself. When I was a little girl. The only thing that stood in Neji's way of killing her was the exam proctor and the leaf chunins. Mostly Hinata's sensei Kurenai Yuhi. Thus, _Victor: Neji Huyga_

9\. Rock Lee vs. Gaara. Since Lee is only able to use taijustu - his attacks did not manage to penetrate Gaara's Sand Defense. That is, until the leg weights came off. At first it seemed like nothing. But once he dropped them...It destroyed the floor that it fell on. The speed that was added had made Gaara unable to even understand where the hell he was going. And so, Gaara of the Sand was hit for the first time ever. And I mean EVER. Lee used his Front Lotus, then realizing it was a sand clone because his eyes were closed when he used it. Lee supposedly had no other choice but to use the inner gates, which gave him immense strength for a short period of time but still did injure him. Lee hit him; Gaara hit him back so on and so forth. But until Gaara used his Sand Coffin to crush Lee's arm and leg. The match had ended by the interference of Might Gai. _Victor: Gaara_

10\. Choji vs. Dosu. The final round. And the most disappointing in my opinion. Choji thought that if he ears were covered and he didn't hear anything, then he wouldn't be affected by Dosu's attacks. A sound thought. Ha. Sound. Get it? Okay.. Anyway, Choji used his family's expansion jutsu that transformed him into what seemed to be a human boulder. Dosu dodged all of Choji's attacks and forced him to run into the wall and get stuck in it. With a single punch and flick of sound, Choji was defeated. _Victor: Dosu_

* * *

I sat next to Sasuke while he was still unconscious from the sealing technique. Watching him and thinking all at once. The winners of the preliminaries were given one month to prepare for the third match. Both Sasuke and Naruto are in it. Damn that old man.

"Sasu..." I whispered. I turned to the window, looking outside to see everyone who came to see the third exam. It was basically a tournament; yes it looked like there would only be one chunin selected but that's not the case. If they decide that you're worthy chunin material then you get to be a chunin. It was just a competition thing at this point.

I felt my body electrifying, my eyes reverting to see not what's in front of me, but what will happen. I could feel my eyes change into a different color, most likely violet. I saw destruction and sadness; ninja fighting each other. _What does this mean?_ I wondered.

My vision reverted back to normal. Quickly, i move to the mirror, checking my eyes. My eyes' were no longer purple but the bright blue they are. _What did I see?_ _What's to happen to the village?_ I feared for the worst, thinking it was these damn exams.

But I shook the thought away, bringing my attention back to Sasuke and how lucky he was to survive the curse mark. But the vision was clear in my mind.

I sat there holding myself in a comforting embrace, "How can I protect the village, when I could never protect anything?"


	5. Chunin Exams: The Final Test

-Lyaxas-

A month had passed for the final day of the Chunin Exams. Many people from all over the continent had gathered for the tournament. Important people too.

But much had happened within that month. Sasuke disappeared from the hospital, Lord Jiraiya came back to the village and happened to train Naruto. _Perv and Pervier_ , I thought.

Hayate Gekko was killed in battle against another. Genma Shiranui was there to proctor the final exam in place of Hayate. Who it was that killed him, I didn't know. But I had my thoughts. Thoughts that were best kept to myself. Or so I thought.

I stood on the balcony of the Kages were to sit. Staring out to the ones who came for this day. "A wonderful and joyful day isn't it…. Alysa?" Lord Hokage spoke behind me. My true name, Alysa. A name I had let go long ago. Changing my name to Lyaxas so no one would remember me, no one would think of me, no one will speak of me or to me.

This was the way it was supposed to be, yet Lord Hokage wished to change that. A final fate cannot be changed, no matter who the person is.

"Yes, m'lord." I voiced in a gentle, soft tone.

Fireworks have been released, the games have begun. I positioned myself next to the Hokage whom I swore to protect and serve.

Six combatants were presented in front of us, we were missing three. Dosu, Sasuke and Naruto. Dosu had dropped out, or dropped dead. However, it was never in Sasuke or Naruto's nature to not show up to a place. But it was in Naruto's nature to show up fashionably late.

And late he did arrive, sliding on the ground on his belly, he startled all of the audience. I could help but laugh. As did Hokage-sama. Well, it was more of a chuckle than a laugh.

 _Always knows how to make an entrance._

Shikamaru Nara helped him up then Naruto exclaimed, "We gotta run! There's a bunch of stampeding bulls coming this way!" I had to laugh some more.

"I don't believe you," Shikamaru said.

"No! I'm serious! There's probably a million of them coming this. waaa….yy" His last word left his lips, as he noticed all around him to realize that Sasuke wasn't there either. Priorities.

Cheers coming from all around enthralled the orange ninja, and thus his determination grew.

I walked back to stand beside the Hokage, "Is there any sign of Sasuke yet?"

I shook my head, "No sir. The Anbu have been investigating but found nothing. Some speculate that he's in Orochimaru's hands."

"What do you think?" He asked.

I hesitated but answered, "I don't think he is. But I don't have enough evidence to disclaim it."

Lord Hokage sat in one of the two chairs on the Kage's balcony. The other seat is for our guest from Sunagakure. _Oh! Here he comes now._

"Oh! You made it! Welcome Lord Kazekage."

He was dressed in the same attire as Lord Hokage, but instead of the red with white robe that Lord Hokage wore, the Kazekage wore a green and white robe. Two of his attendants stood by each side.

While the two Kages of two of the great nations said their hellos; I looked out to the field in which the battle was to play. A few trees on the sides of the arena the ground mostly covered by grass and dirt. I was wary of the Kazekage, only because of the darkness I felt around him. And it wasn't just him, but from the arena as well. Remembering my vision had sent a chill down my spine.

The Hokage stood and walked to the edge of the balcony, hands behind his back and a smile upon his face.

"Welcome all!" He shouted, "And our deepest thanks for coming to the village hidden in the leaves for this year's chunin selection. We have come to the final competition, between the 8 candidates who made it through to preliminaries. We ask that no one leaves until all matches have been completed. Now please, everyone enjoy!"

Another cheer from the crowd. I had always admired the way he could talk in front of all like that. Like a true leader. I was never the type to be a leader. Yet, fate had forced me into that position later in my life. But that's for later.

"You said 8 candidates. Aren't you missing one?" the Kazekage asked. To which the Hokage grumbled in reply.

Even though Dosu wasn't here to attend the competition, it was quite true. Only Sasuke was truly missing. Dosu had been… dropped out. But later did we know that he had been killed by Gaara during the month break. He was feeling too excited. He was… a killing machine. The only thing Gaara could do to feel alive was to kill. And I couldn't blame him.

First match was between Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga. Many people _knew_ the Hyuga boy was going to be the won to win. As a part of the elite Hyuga clan, I wouldn't be surprised. But the determination in Naruto's eyes… it was awe inspiring.

Neji activated his Byakugan, examining Naruto before grinning, the darkness within him growing. But Naruto did not waver, he felt more sure of himself. More.. confident than I ever saw him before.

The match had begun. And a standstill was met, either of them didn't move for quite a while, building tension in the air. A few steps forward from Neji, but Naruto held his ground until he attacked him head-on with several kunai. I heard someone scream, "You idiot! A frontal attack would never work!" I had to agree. What was he thinking?

A punch was delivered, but did not strike with several more from Naruto. All ending in the same result. It was Neji's turn to attack, and a strike to the stomach he delivered followed by an attack on his chakra point, but that one missed. Making Naruto fall to the ground

"Do you understand? You cannot defeat me." Neji explained calmly.

Naruto grinned, "Whatever. I was just checking you out!"

He stood, "I'm all warmed up! Now we can really get started." He used the Shadow Clone Jutsu to create four clones of himself. They all pulled their kunais out.

It was smart of him to use the shadow clones as a way to distribute his chakra. Not even the most powerful Byakugan could figure out the real Naruto.

Four out the the five of him went after Neji, all being deflected, the fifth delivering a blow to the face with his foot. Neji was a step ahead of him and dodged his attack by a centimeter. Then gave his counterattack and took away all of his clones.

"Think you could be Hokage? Everyone had their limitations and were born to be the way they are. Even the Hokage. It's nothing you can just become by _trying_ to be. They born and destined to be Hokage. Each person is given their path to follow, and they must follow it. Without a second thought. To the end."

My heart ached at how much darkness was growing within the Hyuga boy. A person has their own destiny to follow. They have their own path. You could take whatever path to get to their final fate. I believed that final fate could never be changed - but a present fate can. That is what my mother died believing and that is what I believed. She did whatever she could to help my family's future and maybe, just maybe, she succeeded a little.

"You can think that way if you want. People always tell me I just don't know when to give up!" Naruto exclaimed before creating more shadow clones, not just 4 but what seemed to be over 20. You would need a large amount of chakra to do that. And Naruto… he had just that.

Neji dodged each of their attacks after charging after him. Punching each of them around like it was nothing. Not even touching him. Neji had noticed something and went towards the one that was furthest away from him, thinking that Naruto would be afraid to be attacked by Neji's chakra point attacks.

He was wrong and was confronted by two Naruto's, a surprise attack. When the pump to the face was about to be given, a sphere of chakra manifested around Neji, deflecting all of his attacks. He had performed a jutsu from the Hyuga clan- the 8 Trigrams Palm Rotation. An offensive, defensive jutsu that releases a large amount of chakra from the chakra points on a user's body. Afterwards, the user spins rapidly to parry the attack, creating a rotating half-sphere shield of chakra around themselves and tossing away any nearby attackers.

But what interested me the most is why Neji, a member of the Hyuga branch, knew that technique rather than the main family Hyuga clan as it was supposed to be.

"Fate… can sometimes be defied, I guess." I whispered to myself.

"This is the end for you. You're in range, you cannot escape my 8 Trigrams," Neji stated before getting into a special stance. A stance of the Hyuga's special jutsu. 8 Trigrams 64 Palms. A technique that would hit all of their opponent's chakra points, usually two at a time. But nevertheless, Neji successfully used it again Naruto. His chakra… was disabled.

"I've hit all 64 of your chakra points. Be grateful you're still breathing. It must be frustrating.. to know how hopeless your efforts were," Neji continued to egg him on, tormenting Naruto in the worse way. "You thought you could succeed with hard work alone. What an illusion." He just wouldn't stop.

Naruto struggled to get up, but somehow with the determination in his heart he found the strength to get up. That boy never knew how to give up.

"H-How!?" Neji was stunned.

"I told you, I just don't know when to give up."

"Enough of your foolishness, it'll all be the same. I really don't have anything against you, personally."

"Ha! that's touching. I think I might _cry_." Naruto retorted. "But I got beef with you!"

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Really? I thought you were mister know-it-all! You don't remember what you did to Hinata?! With your mind games!?" Another thing that I always admired about Naruto - he did what he knew was right. He was a boy of justice, of righteousness.

"Like that concerns you."  
"You mocked her! Calling her a failure! All of this with the entire Hyuga clan! I don't care about any of that! But that doesn't give you the damn right to call her a failure! That's what I have against you!"

Then… it was then the story started. The story about the scarred boy, Neji Hyuga. For years the Hyuga clan practiced the forbidden jutsu named the curse mark jutsu. Something similar but not exactly like the one Sasuke was burdened with. But with the Hyuga clan, it was a symbol upon the burden's forehead an 'X' with two lines on each side. Neji was only four. A child. As I was.. when…

But on that same day, a celebration was occurring, the celebration of peace between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire. Our village. Everyone had attended. Except one clan. The Hyuga, due to the celebration of the birthday of 'Lady Hinata' the heir of the Hyuga clan at that time. Neji's father, being the younger twin was to be a part of the branch family, as the elder brother was of the main family.

It was his job to protect Hinata. To protect the main household. That was how the Hyuga clan functioned. Using the mark to keep the branch family in line, to keep them as the secondary members. Fear… that's how they runned things. Death was their only way free.

According to Neji, on one night Hinata was abducted by an unknown shinobi. It wasn't long until Hinata's father found them and killed the man to rescue his daughter. A man that was hidden in a mask. But once revealed… it was a ninja from the Land of Lightning. A man the village just signed an alliance with.

The Land of Lightning demanded recompense for such an action, from the Leaf Village being in violation of the treaty. If nothing was to be done, then war would break out again. Fearing that would happen, they created a deal. A life for a life. The death of the man who killed the ninja. Not Hinata's father, but Neji's in place for his twin - to protect the household.

"So do you see? It was your destiny to lose to me. You cannot change that."

"We'll have to see if you'll beat me!"

As Neji put his headband back on, hiding the mark, Naruto continued, " So your dad died because of your clan, and that wasn't fair. I understand. But that's not destiny!"

"You'll never understand." It was then I wanted to beat him up myself. Screw the tournament. Screw the Chunin Exams. I wanted blood. Anger fueled me as my fists clenched. I was so angry I couldn't think straight. I was barely paying attention to the match, I could barely control myself. I couldn't run away, I was stiff. My own anger, the darkness I felt it was almost too much. My pain, their pain. My suffering, their suffering. Their darkness. My darkness. I could feel it all.

I felt a hand upon my own, it was the old man. I could hug him at that moment, but for appearances sake, I didn't. I wish I had. "Watch, little one." My eyes went from him to the arena once more.

"So what are you going to do against me? I've blocked all of your chakra points. How do you plan to win against me if you can't use chakra? Heh. You're about to share Hinata's fate."

"Really? You think that Byakugan of yours sees everything! You know everyone's weakness, right?!"

"Exactly. But you wish to prove me wrong then be my guest." I spotted an eye twitch all the way over here. He was so done with Naruto, it was showing.

"You got it!" He closed his eyes and concentrating, continuing to do so as Neji requested the proctor to end the match. To him, it had gone long enough. But Naruto wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

Naruto stood there concentrating on his chakra, Neji giving him a look of being helpless. But like I said, Naruto was not done. And neither was _IT._

Just then I felt a powerful presence of chakra coming from Naru's body. It surged within him, into a tailed beast. The chakra of the Nine Tailed Fox. It covered his entire body, like a coat of armour. Giving him more agility and speed than before. he fought with Neji on equal ground. At least with Neji's Byakugan it was equal. Naruto came after Neji, to counterattack, Neji started his rotation. In their final clash, between Naruto's chakra and Neji's rotation with their kunai, an explosion emerged.

The dust from the explosion dissipated, leaving only two holes in the ground. One being Neji, another being Naruto. Which one was which?

An arm popped out from one and up came Neji. He was weakened and very hurt, panting hard. Naruto layed still in the other hole. Or so we thought. He emerged from the ground, fist first that made contact with Neji's chin. Sending him up in the air and in defeat.

A hole was found underneath the clone, using it as bait until he could reach Neji. He never stopped believing in himself. And he never stopped trying. You can change who you are..

 _But can you change your final fate?_

"Should have known you would've used the shadow clone technique. It's your specialty after all."

Panting, Naruto explained," I failed the graduation exam three times because there was this one jutsu that was always on it. I could never master it. It was the Shadow Clone Jutsu and my clones were pathetic. So don't you dare tell me no one can change who they are! You can do it too because… Unlike me… You're not a failure."

Naruto had changed something within Neji, the darkness within him faded.

 _Winner: Naruto Uzumaki._

A large amount of cheers for the unexpected winner of the first round. I had to admit even I was shocked to see him win against the Hyuga boy. Even Naruto was surprised by the outcome of the battle. He began to run around cheering, excited that he won himself. It was amazing how he could run around like that after the battle he just had.

The Hokage chuckled ", Well child, it seems that I won."

"Won? Won what?" The Kazekage asked, curious as to what was going on between the Hokage and I

I sighed as I pulled down my hood, exposing my messy, plaited, dark hair. "He and I made a bet, and if he won…." My voice trailed off. I refused to even say it.

The Hokage continued for me, "She would have to do a certain thing."

I made a low growl. Curse that old man. I knew what I had to do, but how I would do it. I didn't know just yet. Both Kages chuckled. I want to punch them in the jugular, to see who would be laughing then.

"What a large amount of energy from the crowd," the Kazekage continued his chuckling.

"That's because it was an amazing fight."

"That's true. However… it's also anticipation. It's possible that the shinobi leaders, feudal lords and other spectators are look forward to this next match."

The match between Sasuke Uchiha, the last surviving member of the famous Uchiha clan and Gaara of the Sand, whose defense was nearly perfect and who never lost a match before in his life.

"By the way," the Kazekage continued, "Sasuke was not at the opening ceremony. He has arrived, hasn't he?"

The Hokage fidgeted a little, looking towards me for help. I bowed down to whisper in his ear, "I'm sorry but there hasn't been news about Sasuke yet. And no news about Orochimaru either. I hate to say it but… It may be best to disqualify him and continue with the tournament."

The crowd went from happy and cheerful to angry and annoyed. Everyone yelled and screamed for the match to continue.

"It must be done. Sasuke Uchiha is disqualified," Lord Hokage declared.

"Disqualified?"

"Yes…"

After some time, the Kazekage surprised me with his request. "I ask you to wait for some time longer before disqualifying Sasuke Uchiha."

"But sir, we cannot make the audience wait, especially the feudal lords, without a reason," I chimed in.

"Then it is good that I have a reason. You see, most of the shinobi leaders and feudal lords here came to simply see the next match. Including myself. He is the last remaining member of the Uchiha clan. Besides, the Land of Wind would like to see this match between him and our Gaara."

"Lord Hokage?" I awaited for his answer. I too wanted to see this match, I wanted to see how Sasuke grew in strength.

After a short while deliberating he said, "Very well then. We shall make an exception and postpone his match and wait. Please, Alysa, inform the proctor."

I nodded and put my hood up before doing so, to hide my face. I walked up to Genma and told him what the Kages had decided on. He nodded to me saying, "I understand." Then I left and resumed to beside the Hokage's side.

Everyone was shocked yet happy that his battle was to be postponed. Genma then asked for Shino Aburame and Kankuro to come down. It was their match next.

Before either could go into the arena, Kankuro yelled to the proctor, " I withdraw! So please enter the next match!"

 _What. The. Fuck._ I thought. Screams of disapproval followed the withdraw. I too, wanted to scream. To shout. But the only thing I did was simply whisper, "ass."

A large gust of wind swiftly came and Temari upon her large fan came down. It was her turn after all, but i wondered if she really had to be showy about it. But I had to admire her eagerness.

"Shikamaru Nara! Come on down!" Genma shouted. Shikamaru didn't show the amount of eagerness that Temari did. He seemed to be panicking about his match. But I suppose that faded into irritation when Naruto hit him on the back so hard, he fell down on the ground.

 _What an entrance. Very impressive._ Even the garbage thrown at him was impressive.

Before the match was officially declared, Temari charged at him with her fan in hand. Spunky she was, and spunky Shikamaru hated.

She downward slashed her fan onto Shikamaru's location as if it was a greatsword. But he had dodged it with the use of two kunai. He even dodged the gust of wind she threw at him from her fan being opened. He hid in shadows, where his technique is best used. Using the shadows against the wall as a defensive mark.

But Temari was just too eager, "Ninja Art: Wind Scythe Jutsu!" Vertically slashing her fan a large gust of wind cut and pierced the tree as well as inconveniencing the audience with the wild wind that it was.

A thin shadow zoomed towards her, but she noticed it and back flipped away from it until it couldn't go any closer to her before vanishing. She marked the spot that it was once at. She had found his limit.

He stared up into the sky for several seconds before closing his eyes and making this gesture with his hands. Each finger touched the other, creating an O like shape. It was no handsign, but as Asuma, his sensei, would later put it to me, a habit.

Over the course of the last month, I had looked at all of the files for the genin a part of the preliminaries Shikamaru Nara's was in the interesting pile. His test scores were low in the academy, he would rather take a nap than take a written exam. But once he took an IQ test, being told that it was another game, he scored high, over 200. He had the mind of a general.

His eyes opened, he was ready.

Temari grinned, "so you have some fighting spirit after all," and used her previous jutsu again to attack him from a long distance. He protected his face and hid behind the tree, its trunk being cut from the harsh winds the sand woman produced.

Aggravated, she used the same jutsu, only to be attacked by a kunai followed by a shadow that came after her, passing the line she had made. Luckily for her, she got away from it in time.

Shikamaru was playing the waiting game. Waiting for the sun to go further down, and the wall's shadow to increase.

Temari on the other hand was playing a mathematical game. It was something fairly easy to do, calculating the height of the sun, measuring his gained shadow distance from the previous attack. Child's play.

"Temari! Above you!" Kankuro yelled.

 _tch. Cheater_

Above her head was a kunai and Shikamaru's jacket that he slyly took off. She hadn't noticed it. The hovering parachute created another shadow for the Nara kid to use against her. This made things a tad more interesting.

Like I said before, I had read all of the preliminary participants' files. That also included Temari of the Sand. Don't ask how I got it, but from what I learned was that she too was an excellent strategist. And after seeing this match, I couldn't deny it.

She started to use hand signs, but something caught hold of her. She no longer had control over her own body, the Shadow Possession Jutsu was complete. How? Using the hole that was dug from the battle between Naruto and Neji. The entire time he was manipulating her to do as he willed - getting closer to the connecting holes.

They walked towards each other until they stood a meter apart. Their hands were raised, only the soft gust of the wind was heard. The anticipation was painful.

"I'm done. I give up." Shikamaru stated.

More whining from the crowd. My eye even twitched. But I should have expected this. According to his file, it was just his thing to be as serious about this as the others were.

"I've used all of my chakra from that jutsu. I had only another 10 seconds, and that was it. Besides, this whole thing would be too much work for me."

 _Winner: Temari_

A spec of orange fell down to the arena, running towards the stretching genin.

"Hey, I want to talk to you, idiot!" Naruto exclaimed

"Who're you calling an idiot, idiot."

I laughed to myself but it ended once I remembered what was to come next. The audience forgot all about Shikamaru's withdraw and focused on something else. The next match between Gaara of the Sand and Sasuke Uchiha. They were practically betting on the outcome of the match.

"There still hasn't been any sign of Sasuke," I whispered to him. The Hokage came to the conclusion of moving onward with the tournament.

"Ten more you can give him ten more minutes." the Kazekage intervened. "The crowd has been waiting for this. It would be cruel to cancel it now. Ten minutes shouldn't hurt."

"Sir," I looked to the old man, "I sympathize with Lord Kazekage. Please spare him ten more minutes." Naruto had already won, so what else did I have to lose? I already lost the bet.

He nodded before giving his agreement to both the Kazekage and I. It was then that I had to go to Genma to tell him what the old man told me.

2 minutes… 6 minutes… 8 minutes… 9… passed by and still no sign of him. 30 seconds were left, all the while the audience booed and whined like bitches.

10.

"The time limit has expired. I am now officially calling this match-"

A single leaf disturbed Genma's sentence, followed by more and more of them until a gust of wind had given them the entrance that made my eye twitch. Showy.

"Sorry, we're late. You wouldn't believe the traffic." Kakashi sassed.

Sasuke Uchiha had finally arrived.

Cheers erupted. But Kakashi had asked about the time.

"He isn't disqualified or anything, is he?"

Genma grinned as he simply said, "That's for the Kage to decide." He looked up towards the Kage's balcony, but I knew he was looking straight at me. He grinned even more. "Let his messenger come down to tell us."

My eyes widened then narrowed quickly like daggers towards Genma, then to the old man. "He was in on it!?"

Old Man Hokage didn't say anything, but I knew. I gulped, knowing fully what I have to do. I just didn't want to. I pulled my hood up, to protect myself from the Kages' seeing me scared. Hokage-sama glanced at me, "Alysa…" I waved my hand in a yeah-yeah-I-know gesture. I almost flipped them off too. Thankfully I knew a thing or two about self-restraint.

I teleported down to the battle arena in which an epic battle will commence. "Two things have been decided. First- Sasuke Uchiha will be able to compete." A large noise from the crowd roared all around.

"What's the second?" Naruto asked.

I sighed before lowering my hood to uncover my face, "The second is that the Hokage is an asshole."


	6. Revelations

-Sasuke-

My body shook, a lump was stuck in my throat, my eyes fought tears. I could see the shock on Naruto's face as well. He was surprised to see her just as I was. Lyaxas. No, Alysa. That was her true name.

I took one step closer to her and noticed how sad she appeared to be. How could she? After four years, she appeared to be sad from seeing us. Why? What could I do to bring a smile to your face? I didn't have any answers.

Before I could say anything she bowed before me, "I know this is a bad time for all of this, but I'm so sorry for deceiving you. I have kept away from you all and for that I am truly sorry."

I hadn't noticed that Kakashi-sensei was just as surprised as the rest of us. The only one who seemed out of the loop was Shikamaru. Well, he and the audience that watched us. They were all whispering

 _Who is that girl?_

 _What relationship does she have with the Uchiha?_

 _Who is she to them?_

 _Who is she?_

 _Who is she?_

 _Who is she?_

 _Why is she here?_

I hadn't noticed that her hands touched my cheeks, putting my mind and body back into one piece, " _A hori nava demuro,_ " She had spoken

A language I had not heard in so long, a language that was hers before she learned my own. Her native tongue. It was nice to hear it from her silvery voice once again.

"They don't need us here," Shikamaru hurried things onward, "Come on, Naruto. And I'm going to take the stairs if you don't mind."

Naruto growled at him in response.

I heard her soft chuckle from the exchange those two had, but I began to worry when she shivered from a feeling she had coming from someone else thanks to _Him._ Murderous intent.

"I should go," She smiled at me before walking to staircase of the competitors' balcony. I worried myself and was a little uneasy for her leaving my side once more. But that fact that she stayed by next to Naruto, made me more at ease. I had a match to focus on. A new motivation was found as I replayed her words in my head.

 _Ahorina va demuro. Concentrate and Win._

-Alysa-

"For four years, you've been here?" Naruto asked as we walked up the stairs. I quietly replied with a shrug. "It's been more like 2 and a half years.."

Naruto stood there on the stairs to the balcony; in all honesty he looked very upset with me, the way I had expected. _Is he pouting at me? Is he still upset?_

He turned his head around and instantly his eyes widened. _What has spooked him?_ I thought as I followed his and Shikamaru's gaze to the hallway where Gaara was walking through. Two men from another village stopped in his tracks, "You better lose, our Lord has bet on Sasuke Uchiha and we won't let him lose his money."

Those were the last words that were spoken before Gaara killed them both. It wasn't because they annoyed him, but because he was excited. If Naruto and Shikamaru were the ones to cross his path then just like those two unknown men, they would've died. Then Gaara would have died since I would've kill him if he killed the two Leaf genin close by me.

As Gaara walked past the three of us, I put on my best badass look, "If you kill Sasuke, Gaara, I will personally kill you, slowly and painfully." He stopped walking and turned his head looking at me, grinning. He saw it as a challenge. _Fine let it be that way._

They sat on the stairs, scared stiff. I could tell the match had begun. They sat there realizing that it could have been them.

"Naruto.. Do you remember what Gaara said yesterday?" Naruto nodded to Shikamaru's question before Nara continued, " _All the same I will kill you, just you wait. I'll kill you all._ Yet he didn't."

"You weren't good enough for him, maybe." I chimed in. They both agreed.

"And the only one that can make him feel anything-"

"-Is Sasuke." Naruto ended our train of thought. As he did so, his body shivered at such a thought. The thought of someone killing his friend and rival. He thought about the day that Shikamaru talked about, and came to sound conclusion.

Naruto shot up from the stairs, "We have to talk to Kakashi-sensei _right now_." Naruto exclaimed and ran up the stairs to the viewing area. Shikamaru and I followed without a second thought.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled to the white-haired man, bringing Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, Rock Lee, Choji Akimichi and Might Gai's attention to the three of us. The two of them panted from running.

"What is it, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"You have to stop this match right away!"

"What?"

"This guy Sasuke is facing is far from normal! He thinks his point in life is to kill. If this continues, Sasuke will be killed!"

Down in the arena was a giant sand ball and Sasuke, I had guessed that Gaara was inside of it, since sand was his thing. My body shivered horribly, I could feel Gaara's intent to kill, his darkness, stirring. I tried the best I could to keep my shivering to a normal level, but I just couldn't. I couldn't.

For a while Kakashi examined the look in Naruto's eyes - afraid, concerned - before looking back onto the arena. Something was going to be brewed inside of that ball.

"There isn't a need to panic. I mean, there was a reason we took a while getting here." At first I had no idea what he meant by that. But as Sasuke continued to attempt breaking the sand ball as well as dodging it's attacks, I slowly understood.

My eyes drifted all around the viewer's area, searching for the Anbu to make sure they were where we needed them to be. I could see 8 and that was good.

Back to the arena, Sasuke kept as large a distance as he could from Gaara creating the handsigns - Monkey, dragon, rat, bird, ox, snake, dog, tiger then back to monkey, in order. The last technique I thought I would ever see here.

Chidori

An A-rank jutsu that channels a large amount of lightning chakra to the user's hand to the point where it becomes visible. Such high concentration of electricity produced a chirping like sound of a thousand birds. Taking a large amount of chakra for a single jutsu could danger the user's life force if used only once.

Sasuke needed a large amount of speed in order to even use Chidori, so the fact that Kakashi was training him, himself made sense. Not only that but Kakashi and Sasuke were similar yet different at the same time. They shared the same past, but differ in their use of the pain from said past. It was like that between Sasuke and I. We differ while being similar.

Even if the Chidori was powerful to the point that Sasuke could only use it once (my prediction at that time), such power had a disadvantage. For example, the speed that he needed with the addition that the user had to run in a straight line, causes a tunnel vision effect for the user. Meaning that Sasuke had somewhat lost of his peripheral vision, using only his central vision. But it also helped that Sasuke had his Sharingan activated.

Sasuke charged at the spherical object yet, his attack being monitored by Gaara's third eye that floated above said object. Spikes tried to keep Sasuke away, but it didn't work. Sasuke's hand made contact with the sphere, penetrating it. Yet he couldn't get his hand out of it.

A large scream echoed throughout the arena, coming from the center of it all. Within that ball, within that sand. A boy screamed.

" _ **Blood! It's my blooddd!"**_ Gaara screamed.

Sasuke still couldn't get his hand out of the ball, and in a panic he used a mild form of Chidori to piece away the sand that held him there. He was hurting Gaara even more, resulting in more screams.

I knelt down, covering my ears. My body convulsing as I went through my own memories that haunted me. Electricity, screams, agony, pain. All of the pain from my memories came back to me. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I myself wanted to scream.

Shikamaru noticed my despair, "Hey, are you alright?" He was in a panic, he didn't touch me, afraid that I would scream at him or worse, bite him.

Naruto looked over to me and knelt over me in an attempt to calm me, but I waved him away. "I-I'm fine." I stood and tried to keep my cool, to keep my sanity.

Once Sasuke freed himself, a large monster-like arm came out with him. It tried to keep hold of him. The air had tensed up even more, it was absolutely frightening.

The ball cracked and the sand fell to the ground to reveal a Gaara that held his arm in pain. He panted like a wild animal, his eyes were of that variety too. His calm composure was no more.

Just then white feathers fell down before my eyes, slowly and mystically, as if to put me into a trance.

"Release," I said to keep myself away from a genjutsu, an illusion jutsu. I panicked as I heard an explosion coming from the Kage's balcony.

 _Lord Hokage!_ Was all that I thought of. I cursed myself for my stupidity. I should have been up there with him than dollying with the others after my reveal. The Anbu went after the Hokage to protect him, half of them protecting the nobels, for the entire audience was asleep. But four unknown men created a barrier around the Kazekage and Hokage, the Kazekage taking the old man hostage.

I couldn't get to him after Kakashi, Gai and I were stopped by an Anbu and several sound ninja. It had appeared that both the Sand and Sound had betrayed us.

"We've been careless…." Gai stated.

Off in the distance we saw the one person the village had been seeking the entire time. Orochimaru. He had disguised himself as the leader of Sunagakure, with the true leader of the Sand Village, dead. The father of the Sand Siblings, Rasa, was now dead.

One of the Sound ninja attacked without me fully aware of it, it was one of my careless mistakes. Thankfully, Kakashi kept him away, "Stay alarmed! You won't be use to the Hokage dead!" He was right about that. Several more Sound ninja came around and this time, I was ready to fight back.

Pulling my hood up, I threw several kunai at the enemy, keeping his attention to the kunai as I ran after him to stab a single kunai into his stomach. I propelled myself upward from the fallen Sound ninja to flip onto the shoulders of another to snap his neck to the right with my thighs. I didn't have the greatest strength, but I was adept in dexterity and agility, using these two elements in battle more so than my strength.

Sounds of clashing metal filled the area around us, keeping eye on both the enemy and the sleeping innocents. We had to fight one while protecting the other, an annoying thing to happen, but it happens.

Gai and Kakashi took out several shinobi around us, their skills worthy for the title of Jonin. They stood back to back with each other, myself not too far away from them, "I'm worried about Lord Hokage," Gai stated his worries.

"Leave that to the Anbu Black Ops, we have enough to handle here. He is the Hokage, he isn't some pushover." I grinned at Kakashi's words.

The fighting continued on, and I hadn't realized that Sakura Haruno had released herself from the genjutsu that was cast. _Clever girl._ Kakashi gave very specific instructions to the girl for their newest 'mission'. I dropped down right next to Sakura, clearly intimidating her as Kakashi continued with his instructions.

"You'll need to go as a 4 squad for this mission," he stated.

"Does...does that mean…" Sakura looked up at me as I deflected more kunai coming our way, "that she'll be coming with us?"

I shook my head, "No, I will not leave this place. Not while the Hokage is in danger."

Kakashi nodded, "no, someone else will go with you," He was using the specific handsigns needed to perform a summoning technique. And in this case, he was summoning his trusted shinobi canine, Pakun.

"Who are you going to sniff out?" I asked.

"Sasuke. Knowing him, he would be following after Gaara. And I have a feeling that Gaara is the pivotal character in the Sand and Sound's operation. But he'd too dangerous for Sasuke to handle."

I nodded and focused on the enemy before us, using not only the kunai at my disposal, but the ninjutsu that I had trained for and learned.

Joining my two hands together, I create the signs of the dragon, hare and tiger. "Water Style: Raging Waters!" I spew out waves of water out of my mouth towards my opponents. They were pushed back to keep away from the young kunoichi.

"Aaaah!" Someone had screamed, not in fear but in pain. Afraid, I turned my head to see that Shikamaru Nara was bitten by Pakun. My eye twitched, annoyed at boy who broke off my concentration.

" _Hahaha. Did you see that? Kid didn't want to get involved. Damn, he's the laziest boy ever, ya know?"_

The voice and darkness inside of my heart spoke for the very first time today. Usually he would have just sit back and allowed things to progress as they were. But when something interests him, he'll commentate on it. He could be annoying that way.

I whispered very softly, "Shut up, Van."

In my annoyance a Sound ninja ran past me, towards the awoken Naruto. Thankfully Gai was able to get to him before anything could have happened to Naruto. Gai's speed and strength were immensive that it opened a hole in the wall.

Kakashi flashed to the group near the open hole, giving them the details for their mission. Off to side I saw Shino Aburame listening in on the mission details. Not giving them other group a second thought I myself flashed next to Shino, still hidden to the other group. At first he was stunned, but before he could run away, I grabbed the sleeve of his jacket.

"Go help him," I whispered. "Protect Sasuke at any cost. He will need your help." I glanced over in Shino's direction with eyes of purple rather than that of blue. If I could not protect anything dear to me, then it would be better to send another to do so for me.

Shino nodded and left to do as I asked.

The vision I had once seen had come alive, yet I feared what was to come after this. But it would be something big…. _We_ could feel it.


	7. Destruction

-Alysa-

"Lady Alysa!" I heard the Anbu address me as I appeared before them, I had always hated how they called me 'Lady', but such was to be expected.

"What's going on?" I asked the leader of the small group.

"My Lady, the four shinobi had created a barrier one inside the other. Lord Hokage… is stuck in there-"

"Dealing with Orochimaru…."

He nodded, "Yes and he's... " He didn't need to finish his sentence to tell me what I could already see.

"The Reanimation Jutsu…" Within the barrier I saw two alive and two dead shinobi figures. Orochimaru, the Third Hokage… and the First and Second Hokage. An elder and younger brother... Hashirama and Tobirama Senju. "And the rest of the village?"

"We're unsure."

To me there was only one thing I could do to help the rest of the village, the village of my Father and my Father's family.

" _No!"_ A figure of darkness sprang out of my chest, taking the form of a boy. A boy with a silver and glass mask and an organic-like bodysuit of black and red.

"Don't you fucking dare!" He yelled at me.

"But Vani! If I don't do this, there may be more casualties than if I don't! I have to." I was determined, I wouldn't back down from this. And he knew it, but he didn't want to give in either. He was stubborn, much like some two boys I know.

"Your levels will increase drastically!"

"All the more for Him, right? Isn't that what we're selling for the truce?!" He knew I was right, yet he still didn't want to give in.

"I cannot approve of this!"

"Then don't. But I'm doing it anyway. Please…. Let me protect something for once."

He didn't say another word as I sat with my hands pressed together, concentrating on the amount of Darkness I was ready to create for the sake of Light. I thought of every piece of shit I had to deal with in my 12 years of living. The pain I felt, the pain I caused. The hatred I felt, the hatred felt toward me. I felt it all. And with all of that pain, I created apparitions that took my pain, my hatred, my sorrow into form.

They were small, yet mighty and dangerous. Next to me formed the first one I had ever created…. Unintentionally. I had named this one when I was a very small girl, Ciu. _Sorrow_. He was the one who would be in charge of his brethren. "Ciu, go help the other shinobi of the Leaf. Protect this precious village. Please."

Ciu left without any sort of complaint, leaving Vani furious at me. "You're putting yourself in a very dangerous position."

"That is the way of the Shinobi." I continued to focus on the darkest parts of my heart to allow my Unversed army to stay in form. They were originally creatures of Vani's that took form from the negativity, the darkness, that came from him. Which was, his entire being. But ever since the day that Vani and I…. joined… I was able to take control of these fledglings as Vanitas did.

Vanitas moved his gaze to the middle of the barrier, where Orochimaru stood, watching me. As if the creation of _my_ Unversed fledglings intrigued his scientific side. The sickening grin he showed made my body shiver. Such gazes… frightened me.

Orochimaru made no further hesitation to make the bodies… or rather, souls of the previous Hokage fight the current. I could do nothing… but watch as an epic fight between Hokage of the Leaf commenced.

-Sasuke-

After some time of chasing, I had finally caught up with the three from the Hidden Sand. Gaara of the Sand still seemed weak, unable to fully move on his own. He was leaning on the one with the puppet, Kankuro. And beside him was the female kunoichi, her name really didn't matter to me.

They had tried to entrap me with trip-wired explosions, but thankfully I moved away from that mess quick enough. Kakashi-sensei really had trained me well.

They seemed annoyed with my advent, fine by me, "This as far as you guys go." I was in their path, there was no way I was going to let them move on by.

"So? What are you gonna do, huh?" I didn't need to answer, the kunoichi ran up to attack me herself, telling him to go. I didn't want to deal with her, I wanted to deal with Gaara, but he was passed out, so no luck there.

"Go, Kankuro. Don't argue." She said.

He complied and went on by past me, I couldn't let them get away again. I wouldn't! But that damn woman just kept getting in my way, she wouldn't let up.

 _I guess I just have to deal with her…._

-Alysa-

Horrified faces were gathered all around, I didn't need to look into Vani's mask to know that he has the same look on his face as we did. Orochimaru's face was peeled away to reveal that of a woman's.

"You're no human… You're a demon! This is why I could never choose you to be Hokage!" Lord Third stated with a horrified expression, "You're mind and soul are twisted!"

I had heard the story once before from Lord Third when I first started working under his wing. A long time ago, when Orochimaru was still a part of the Leaf, Lord Hokage had found Orochimaru in a hidden room full of Forbidden Jutsu. At this time, there was a steady flow of people missing from the village. They ranged from genin all the way to the Anbu, who were last seen with Orochimaru. And he had openly admitted to taking such shinobi.

His goal was to learn every jutsu in existence, and every jutsu to be created. But with research comes sacrifice to the researcher's life force. It simply took all the time that he/she would have, and human life was too short for Orochimaru to ever accomplish his goal. Nothing could change the flow of time. Thus, he turned to the one jutsu that could help him accomplish his goal, a very Forbidden Jutsu.

"The Immortality Jutsu. A jutsu to eternally recycle a spirit on Earth. In a way, it's a kind of Revival Jutsu. You find a body, a young body, pour your spirit into it and make it your own." To me, the explanation felt… familiar.

"Huh," Vanitas crossed his arms after composing himself as he realized it himself, "he and the Old Man have something in common. Or should I say, _Young_ Man." I didn't care to give him the punch he really deserved for such a terrible pun. But he was right, both Vanitas and Orochimaru. The way to "revive" was to recycle one's spirit, just like the Phoenix bird of lore. It was the truest part of Immortality. Well… sort of.

"Heheh, I was using my old, familiar form until now. Because I wanted a nice, nostalgic reunion, Sarutobi-sensei. Growing old is a sad, empty thing. I only need to look at you to be reminded of that. You will die here, old man. While I move on to a more younger, stronger body. But I really must thank you, as well as the whole village. For preparing my next body so well…"

My body tensed as I fully realized what Orochimaru had meant, or really, who his next target was. Sasuke Uchiha.

"Sasu…" The despair I felt from the mere thought of losing Sasuke amplified the darkness that surged to my small army of Unversed. Their power growing as my sanity grew weaker.

"Alysa.." Vanitas crouched close to me, not touching me, knowing that he would only make the darkness within me grow. "Sasuke… will never go to Orochimaru.. He won't"

"I hope you're right…" I whispered.

The Reanimated version of the First Hokage activated his Sacred Art Jutsu: Great Forest Creation to create a plethora of trees with thick trunks and branches to hide not only themselves, but the Hokage as well from us.

"He'll be fine….Right?" I asked

No one answered.

-Sasuke-

After my little scuffle with the Sand woman, I caught up to the man named Kankuro… again. Panting, I was pleased to see that Gaara was still with him, "You done with running away?" I teased. I was really tired of chasing these guys for a long period of time. But I wasn't the only one who was out of breath.

"Heh, who says I was running? I'll take you on, no problem!" The guy was clearly trying to play it cool, but whatever.

"Wait!" A female voice roared.

 _Shit. Not her again._ It was that Sand woman again, she had caught back up with us. I wished she would have stayed down and away from here. But then, what kind of shinobi would she be? I guess I was okay with this outcome.

"Temari," Kankuro continued to pant, _That's right. That's her name,_ I thought.

Kankuro continued, "When he showed up and you didn't, I thought...He must have finished you!"

"He could have, but why he didn't. I don't know."

Truthfully, I really didn't care to finish her. I didn't really cared what had happened to her. I was only thinking one thing: Defeat Gaara. I was narrow minded that way. Trying to get stronger and stronger. Testing my limits and pushing my boundaries.

Again, they were ready for a fight, which I would face, I had bet it was Temari. But Kankuro stunned me as he stepped up to fight me himself. Not only did he stun me, but Temari as well.

"Temari, take Gaara and go on up ahead. You're all worn out, you'll only get in my way. Now go!"

Hesitating, she took Gaara and left once more.

 _Damn! I almost had him again!_

"Time to pick on someone your own size, Uchiha!"

"Heh. Whatever you sa-"

"Hold on!" Another person was around us and I hadn't even noticed it. Taking a glance over to my side I saw Shino not even 3 meters away.

"I got dibs on him first, Sasuke." Shino stated. Why he was here and how long he was here, I had no clue. Not until I asked.

"I planted a beetle on you as you left the arena, a _female_. She gives off a very… particular scent, that could only be detected by the male of the species." _Pheromones, heh. Nice one._

He continued on, "It's Gaara you're after, isn't it? Since your match had been… canceled. I, too, have unfinished business… with Kankuro. Our match had never even started. I'll take care of him, now go."

Before I could make one more move, Shino spoke, "Another thing. That girl… she really worries about you. Maybe you should repay her kindness for asking me to help you."

 _Then who is he doing this for? Himself? Or her? Or is it both?_

"I will. In full." I left with those words to him.

-Alysa-

Too much time had passed and my anxiety grew as I worried over the status of Lord Hokage's condition. His fight with his former student would undoubtedly bring him pain in the mental and physical form.

"He's been in there way too long!" I expelled my worries. My Unversed had been scattered all around the village, helping each shinobi, aiding them with driving the enemy behind. Even several of them had been aiding the teachers with getting the students and innocents in a safe place. The whole thing had been taking a toll on me, making my heart ache, my mind in a maddening frenzy.

"Please… stop… You've done enough. Stop.. before you really hurt yourself." Vanitas was truly worried about me, as well as the Anbu men around us. My breathing rapidly increased, screaming softly as I felt so much pain around me. From the present, future, past. Everything. It felt so unbearable.

"Please… help… the Hokage…" I prayed for someone to help him. I could feel that he was in physical pain. Something… had gone through his abdomen. I knew what I was asking was impossible, Vanitas couldn't do anything out of fear for causing more damage to me. And if the Anbu could have gone in to help the Hokage, they would have already done so. But it was my childish side coming out that desperately wanted a miracle for Lord Third.

Ciu had come back to my side, alerting me that the counterattack against our enemy had begun. Ciu had also told me the status about Sasuke and the mission that Sakura, Shikamaru and Naruto had gone for. Ciu would always keep me up to date.

"Thank you… Ciu." With that I released all of my Unversed to dissipate, and my pain and subsided back to its usual levels.

"I'm going in there." The Anbu were alarmed when I said such, even Vanitas was surprised. I cut him off before he could ever argue with me, "Lord Hokage needs me. I'm going in, deal with it."

I created a void of darkness and eventually went through it, to be on the other side of the barrier. It worked like a portal of sorts. A portal of darkness that would take the same type of toll on me. I didn't care.

Flipping the nearest barrier guard off, I searched for Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi.

It didn't take long to find Orochimaru and Lord Hokage, just several minutes. And with them was Lord Hokage's summoned companion, Enma. I sighed in relief as I saw that Lord Hokage was okay, but I had failed to realize that there was a sword protruding from his abdomen upward, just as I felt.

My eyes widened as I witness the Great Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, fall to the ground in defeat. With a smile upon his face. Enma's summoning had been reversed and Orochimaru and his men left the village in defeat, the barrier released.

I ran to him, and sat by his side. Blood fell from his lips down his chin. He was dying and I was forbidden to do anything to save him. "Hokage-sama…" I whispered, hoping he would reply to me. _I don't care what he says just let it be something, anything!_

The fear of losing another person poked the inner child inside of me. Yes, as a mature girl I knew that ninja will die, full of honor, for their village. But that inner child, that little part inside of me, just didn't want him to go. It wanted to save him, but will not. He was meant to die one way or another. If I saved him, he would've died in a horrible way than a more honorable death.

But he couldn't say a damn word to me or anyone else. He had used the Reaper Death Seal to defeat the Reanimated Hokages and injure Orochimaru. When using the Reaper Death Seal.. the user will ultimately die.

"Please… Hokage-sama...please… don't go.." Tears welled up in my eyes, "I still need you here. We all do… Stay with us.. Please… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" The tears took shape and fell down my cheeks onto that of the dead man that laid in my arms.


	8. Shadows

The clouds around us were dark, as were our hearts that evening. Many people had died during the destruction of our village, even our noble leader. The Heavens, too, weeped for our lost comrades, using its gentle waters to help soothe our mourning souls.

One of the Elders of the village spoke, "We are gathered here for the sacrifice made by the shinobi and the Third Hokage so that our village may survive and thrive.

Each of the people that were gathered here brought with them a single flower - a white lotus flower. Setting it upon the Hokage's grave when it was their turn. No one could bring their tears into fruition. Yet there was no need, every person there felt sadness within their hearts, even one who was born with a blackened heart.

" _Remember, within this village is the hopes and dreams of everyone. Mine, Yours, and even your Father's." Lord Hokage told a younger version of myself as we watched the people down from his office. "They are what gives us strength that will preserve the village and bring joy within each and every heart here. And within each and every one of them is the Will of Fire."_

His words and his philosophy were burned, etched, into my heart, mind and soul. The time I had spent with Lord Hokage would forever rest within my heart, and nothing could ever replace them.

The funeral was concluded and I walked with the shadows to avoid any confrontation. Originally I stood farther away from the others at the funeral, to keep my distance from them and their possible accusatory eyes.

" _You alright?"_ Vanitas spoke as he rested within me.

"I'll be fine… soon…" I replied in a whisper.

I took a small nature walk to the land that used to belong to the Uchiha clan, before they were assassinated four years ago. If one ventured into the woods near this land, there would be a forest clearing, filled with an array of beautiful flowers. It was here that I finally found my true "home".

"Knew I'd find you here," Sasuke approached behind me, still in his funeral attire as I was. I turned to face him, my gaze set onto his eyes of gray. Even with his saddened eyes, he was still able to give me the smallest of smiles.

"It's hard not to be here. We created this beautiful area, the three of us."

"You're right. It would be nice if we could go back to those days…"

"I think about that a lot as well…" I gently touched a little red tulip, its energy filled of sadness, just like everyone of the village at this time. "But we can't.." I pulled away from the flower, " time moves forward, and so shall we. We shouldn't live in the past, but continue for the future."

Sasuke snorted, "giving me a lecture about my goals again?"

I shrugged, "If you wish to see it that way, then fine. You know how I feel about your current goal. I just want you to have something more in this life. Anything more than revenge."

He didn't say anything further about the subject, just holding out his hand. "Either way...I'm happy you're back home...to me… to us... "

Without any hesitation, I took his hand as he pulled me into his arms. Holding me with his arms wrapped around my waists, head in the crook of my neck. I held onto him tightly as he did for me, conveying our emotions to one another. Our fears, our sorrow, even our joy. These emotions helped fill the hole in our hearts for the lost time that we had.

* * *

"This file goes here, and this one goes…. There!" I was filing the scrolls and papers that were scrambled around the former Hokage's desk. It had been four days since the Third's funeral. Life continues on, and so must we - with the Will of Fire.

My usual job while working under the Third was basically that of an assistant or secretary. Back when I lived with the old man and his family, I felt that I needed to give back to the man who was taking care of me. Even more so when I moved into the home of my late mother. I owed a lot to the old man.

"Ever so dutiful," one of Konoha's Elders, Homura Mitokado, walked into the Hokage's office with another Elder, Koharu Utatane. They were usually seen together, never apart.

I smiled, "I suppose so, yes. With Lord Hokage gone, I have to work twice as hard! That is, until a new Hokage is chosen… and if that Hokage will still allow me to work here... "

Lady Koharu spoke in her usual stern way, "we would still put you in the new Hokage's care. Or better yet, the other way around."

"Or she could gain a new promotion all together," Elder Homura slyly added.

" _Uh, excuse me?_ " Vanitas's thoughts entered mine.

"What do you mean by that, sir?"

They both smiled.

* * *

"...Ly…"

"Alysa!"

Sasuke shouted for my attention, which was on the other side of the universe.

"Huh? Oh.. sorry. What were you saying?"

Sasuke and I were spending some time together to make up for the lost time we had. Plus at the time I was told to take some time off by the Elders. I couldn't refuse nor could I argue about me working or not. It was usually a battle I would lose, mainly because I would lose the energy to argue anymore.

However my mind was elsewhere. Naruto and the Sannin, Jiraiya, had left to go find the "new" Hokage. A part of me worried about the possible-Hokage, if he would allow me to stay working under his care as Lord Third did for me. The other part of me worried about my conversation with the Elders the week prior.

"I wanted to know if you'd want to buy some sweets after seeing Kakashi-sensei."

"Oh yeah, that... Remind me why we're going to his place?"

He rolled his eyes, "to set up another time to train with him. These types of things are set up out of nowhere."

I shrugged at him.

"So, back to the sweets…"

"Chocolate."

"What? Why that?"

"My period is coming up soon and I-"

He stopped in his tracks, his face beat red and semi-angry, "I really didn't need to know that!"

I chuckled, "You asked."

"I'm sad to say I did…" We ended up laughing about the matter. Even though the truth was that I was already on my period and craving chocolate.

We stopped in the middle of Kakashi's doorframe, it was already open. Several other shinobi gathered around him as he slept in his bed. I recognized several of them, some jonin some chunin. None of them were of a genin level, none but Sasuke who stood beside me, who was just as confused as I was.

"Wh-what happened to Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke was the one to speak our thoughts. No one answered us, they couldn't. They didn't dare.

Not until another shinobi entered the room behind us frantically asking questions, "is it true?! Is it true Itachi Uchiha is back at the village looking for Naruto?!"

 _No, oh please no._

I glanced over at Sasuke to see his wide-eyed glare, the glare that spoke of grief and death. The eyes that I feared the most whenever the slight mention of the man who killed his entire clan. "Sasu, please don't." Tears welled up in my eyes, I feared for him whenever I saw this side of him. But no matter that I said or did to him, he wouldn't be able to see me, only him. Only Itachi. His own older brother.

He left before I could say anything more to stop him.

"Alysa…" Kakashi whispered softly in his sleep. I slowly walked over to him and held his hand in my own.

"I'm here, Sensei."


	9. The Sidelines

For days I waited for Naruto and Sasuke to come back and waiting was never my strong suit. But I did so nonetheless, working with paperwork under the Elders' care. I never once took my hood off in front of anyone, not even the Elders' themselves. But they didn't really seem to mind much.

I sat at my desk reading over different reports sent from various shinobi when a felt a dark presence emerge from within.

"Go to the hospital, Alysa." Vanitas's voice was full of concern, something not many would hear or see from a vessel of darkness such as he.

"Why?" I asked, continuing to read the reports. Some people would say that he usually cared not for others, only for himself. It was never true _._ He was my friend, he cared for me and I had seen it inside of him. He had suffered so much, causing him to become proud, cunning, cruel and desperate for salvation. He once told me and only once, that he was grateful for my sacrifice. That he will always continue to protect me, as long as I will not cause him to suffer any longer.

"Sasuke's there… he's injured badly." I stood up quickly from my seat, "Why? What happened?!" I exclaimed, wanting an answer. He stood there, silently and I understood.

"Itachi"

* * *

For weeks I sat, beside Sasuke with his eyes closed in the hospital. In the windowsill was a daisy and a forget-me-not flower within a small vase. Sakura Haruno, who sat on the other side of Sasuke, presented him with the daisy, as I presented him the forget-me-not. Each flower has their own meaning, the daisy represented true love and the forget-me-not represented good memories.

I had heard that Sasuke's encounter with Itachi did not go very well, which was what I sadly expected. Sasuke was emotionally hurt more than physically. Gai told me that Jiraiya-sama and Naru went to Tanzaku Town to find the legendary Tsunade, the granddaughter of the first Hokage. It was said that she possessed a unique skill in medical ninjutsu.

 _Gods, I hope so. Sasu needs her right now. As does Kakashi and Lee._

Praying can only give someone strength from faith in their time of need.

A door opened; Sakura looked to see who it was. I sprang up from my seat entirely. "Who are you?!" I commanded. My hood up wearing the jacket as ever. The woman I saw wore her blonde hair in two low ponytails, her eyes a muddy brown. Even as a female, I could tell she was beautiful. But I think men liked her because of her large breasts that laid in front of her chest. The other woman beside her had short black hair and held a little pig.

Naruto came from the blonde woman's side. "Hiya! We're back!"

 _Oh I see… this is Tsunade, and her assistant Shizune._

I had gathered any and every sort of information I could on the woman named Tsunade in the records of the Leaf Village. I had come up with some results, but nothing too much more than her history.

Tsunade walked towards Sasuke and laid her hand on his forehead. I could tell she was going to waste no time on healing him.

His eyes opened, making me sigh in relief, smiling. Sakura hugged him right when he sat up on the bed. I had to control myself to keep myself from hugging him in the same manner as she did.

"Ly?" I heard Sasu call my short name that he called me by. I sat next to him, once again finding myself from tearing up, "yes?" Tsunade flinched as if she didn't think I was a girl. Sasuke held out his hand to me, "...I'm sorry."

 _He's sorry for having you worry._ Vanitas said to me through thought. Vanitas always knew when someone felt a negative emotion; he was born from the darkness of one of my dear friends.

I took Sasuke's hand in mine, "it's fine, sweetie." I smiled at him as he pulled my hood down, a strand of hair fell out of my pinned up hairstyle and over my eye. "There," he said, "you're not hiding anymore."

Those words almost allowed my tears to fall down, but I couldn't allow it to. Not in front of Lady Tsunade- I never wanted her to think I was weak. I caressed his hand, looking down at our joined hands. When Tsunade was starting to leave the room, to see to her other patients, I whispered a simple yet meaningful, "thank you."

* * *

It was raining, and my thoughts never seemed to cease. The night continued and yet I couldn't sleep. Not like I always needed it. Water dripped and dripped and dropped into the river beside my house. The rain created a pattern of sound that reverberated in my ears, creating a melody. My lips parted to -

"It's time." Another hooded figure besides myself entered my home, one who I could trust.

"Yes..." I stood and created a void of darkness to take me to a place with a warm sunset.


End file.
